Love (Watching Madness) (SpeakUp Theatre)

Effortlessly heartbreaking and emotionally raw, this autobiographical one-woman show explores Izzy Kabban’s experiences of growing up under the weight of her mother’s undiagnosed mental illness. As both writer and performer, she poetically captures the nuances of her formative years with her mother – the unremitting love between them juxtaposed with the frustrations of caring for her. These spellbindingly honest vignettes were echoed through the powerful visual metaphor of paper letters sinking in water. Explorations of these traumas are incredibly affecting, and left me streaming with tears. Clearer distinctions between characters and places could add further to this beautifully intimate piece of theatre – one that punches you in the gut and makes you realise the importance of family.